Seattle, WA
Tired and Undermanned, New England Revolution Hits a Rocky Road in Seattle
When the journey is tough and the horizon seems far away, the athletes’ willpower becomes a spectacle of its own. That’s exactly what we saw last night in Seattle, where the worn-out and undermanned New England Revolution faced off against the Seattle Sounders FC. After a week full of challenges, fatigue finally won, resulting in a 2-0 loss at Lumen Field.
The first half showed promise. The Revs’ players demonstrated an initial spark, an energy that seemed capable of defying the inevitable. Precise passes, well-crafted plays, and a solid defense showed that the team was willing to fight to the end. But like a flame slowly dying out, the second half revealed tired legs and exhausted breath. Caleb Porter, the Revs’ coach, acknowledged his players’ effort. “I was proud of the guys’ effort,” he said after the game. “I know we lost 2-0, but there were a lot of good things in the game, especially given the circumstances.”
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The pieces just didn’t fit together. The last-minute absence of Dylan Borrero from the starting lineup made things even more complicated. However, every challenge also brings opportunities. That’s how Marcos Dias, a young striker from Revolution II, made his Major League Soccer debut. Dias almost scored his first league goal, a moment that could have changed the game’s narrative.
Porter was clear about his squad’s limitations. “We knew we didn’t have much depth,” he explained. “We knew Dylan would probably only play 45 minutes at most. It was a very complicated puzzle for us in this game. Normally, I would have rotated more, but we didn’t have anyone to rotate… [Dias] gave us an attacking option and some coverage on the wing. That’s why we called him up. I think he was the best, probably, in terms of offensive production with Revs II.”
The second half saw the Revs’ team unable to react, incapable of putting pressure on their opponent. The absence of players on the bench who could provide that extra push was a hard blow. Even so, Porter maintained his positive and optimistic stance. “They gave everything they had,” he reiterated. “They absolutely gave everything they had. Today just wasn’t enough.”
Now, with a whole week of rest ahead before the next match against Orlando City SC, the hope is that the players can recover physically and mentally. Injuries have been a thorn in the side for the New England Revolution, but there is a glimmer of hope. Captain Carles Gil is showing signs of improvement, and Porter hopes he can return to training soon. Borrero, on the other hand, remains a question mark, but the coach understands that his return from serious surgery requires patience and caution.
Porter was clear when talking about the near future. “I think Carles is getting better,” he said. “I hope he can start training next week. Dylan, I don’t know; I was shocked that he had to come out… I think a lot of that is because he’s coming back from major surgery. It’s a bit tough for him, and part of it is also because we don’t have depth, so we’re trying to fit him in.”
Before worrying about the next match, the Revolution’s focus should be on recovery and rediscovering the qualities that led them to a four-game winning streak last month. The league is unpredictable, and as we saw in this game, it only takes a moment for things to change drastically.
Seattle, WA
State ferries: A better idea from Nordic countries
Seattle, WA
Manhunt underway for Mason County shooting suspect
MASON COUNTY, Wash. – The Mason County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for a convicted felon wanted in a recent shooting.
The sheriff’s office says Michael Allen Beyer is wanted for first-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Deputies believe Beyer was involved in a shooting that happened in Belfair on January 6.
Beyer is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do not approach him and call 911 immediately.
Anyone with information regarding Beyer’s whereabouts is asked to call Detective Helser at 360-427-9670 x657, or Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
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Seattle, WA
Two more Seattle restaurants close due to minimum wage hike
Two more Seattle restaurants are calling it quits thanks to the untenable minimum wage hike.
At the same time that the Seattle minimum wage rose from $19.97 an hour to $20.76 an hour, the city ended the tip credit of $2.72. Under the previous rules, restaurants were able to pay $17.25 hourly wage if their staff earned at least $2.72 in tips per hour. But as cost of business continues to skyrocket in Seattle, a minimum wage hike without a tip credit is simply untenable for many small businesses.
Jackson’s Catfish Corner in Seattle’s Central District closed its doors in this new year. In an interview with Converge Media, owner Terrell Jackson argued Seattle is too expensive to operate in.
“I know that the minimum wages went up to 20 bucks an hour … I know that’s hard for my business as a small Black business,” Jackson said. “I’m not Amazon or Walgreens or Walmart who can pay their employees that much.”
Jackson isn’t alone in his complaints.
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A second West Seattle eatery closes, citing the minimum wage hike
Bel Gatto, a bakery and café, became the second West Seattle eatery to close its doors over the Seattle minimum wage hike. The owner posted a sign to the front door to thank supporters but said she can’t afford to stay open anymore.
“Our revenues, unfortunately, are not able to cover the close to 20% increase in mandated wages, salaries and payroll taxes put into effect by the Seattle City Council effective 1/1/25. This ruling has made the continuation of our bakery operations untenable,” the sign read.
The owner, Peter Levy, explained to the West Seattle Blog that, “we were approaching close to a break even status in the last quarter of 2024, but the requirement to absorb another $4,000 per month in payroll expenses with the new mandate by the city put a break even further from our grasp which is what led to the closure.”
Last week, a video by Corina Luckenbach, owner of Bebop Waffle Shop in West Seattle, went viral as she said the minimum wage hike was forcing her to close after 11 years. She said she didn’t have an extra $32,000 a year to pay her staff what the city mandates.
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Will more restaurants close?
Ahead of the minimum wage hike, restauranteurs offered many warnings over what’s to come.
Ethan Stowell operates a number of Seattle’s top restaurants, including How to Cook a Wolf, Staple and Fancy, and Tavolata. He warned this change would be exceptionally costly for businesses in an industry notorious for razor-thin margins. And restaurants can’t merely raise menu prices again.
“I know everybody wants to say, ‘Just raise things (on the menu) a dollar or two,’ and that’s what it’ll be. That’s very simplified math. I wish it was that easy, but it’s not. This is a large increase that’s probably large enough to be equal to or close to what most restaurants in Seattle profit,” Stowell told “The Jason Rantz Show” on KTTH.
Portage Bay Cafe co-owner Amy Fair Gunnar noted the minimum wage change will cost her about $45,000 more a month. She said restaurants will have to “seriously change what they’re doing or they’re going to close their doors.”
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Ignoring the warnings, mocking the business people
The warnings from restaurant owners were mostly ignored or mocked.
Efforts by the Seattle City Council to address the forthcoming crisis fell apart after activists said they didn’t want restaurants to get an exception. Council president Sara Nelson told “The Jason Rantz Show” they will take up the issue again this year but there’s no specific idea yet to forward for legislation. The Mayor of Seattle, Bruce Harrell, has been almost completely absent from the issue.
Left-wing voices, meanwhile, claim to not care. That if businesses “can’t afford to pay a living wage,” then they shouldn’t be in business.
One reporter with The Stranger mocked one of the closures, quipping on X, “Has anyone ever eaten at bebop waffle lol.” Left-wing Seattleites condemned the business for “creating a right wing media darling to complain about paying people a living wage.”
KING 5 reporter Maddie White helped elevate this talking point by citing the National Low Income Housing Coalition, claiming “the average renter needs to make upwards of $40 an hour to afford rent.” But she’s quoting a stat for two-bedrooms. Minimum wage jobs aren’t meant to cover the cost of a single person renting a two-bedroom home or apartment.
Ironically, as activists dismiss the concerns of small business owners, they fail to acknowledge the inevitable consequence: when those businesses shut down, people lose jobs. A $20.76 hourly minimum wage — even with a $2.72 tip credit — means nothing if you’re unemployed.
Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3-7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.
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